He was the golden boy.
The one everyone watched.
The one who was supposed to make it.
Taylor Dunkin had the talent, the grades, the scholarship, and a future that looked unstoppable. Then one injury changed everything. Painkillers took the edge off. Then they took more. Before long, the hometown hero was selling the same pills that ruined him—to kids from his own high school.
Gripped follows what happens next.
It is the story of a family watching their son and brother disappear in real time. Of a younger brother who refuses to look away. Of friends pulled into the same current. Of secrets that spread through a tight-knit Massachusetts town, and of the long, uneven fight to come back from the damage.
These books are raw by design. They show how addiction takes hold in ordinary, high-achieving teens—the pressure, the rationalizations, the progressive compromises, and the moment a person realizes they are no longer in control. They also follow the costly work of trying to break free: the reach toward sobriety, honesty, faith, and the people who refuse to give up.
This is not a simple cautionary tale. It is a series about consequence, loyalty, family, and the hard possibility of return.
Start with Gripped Part 1: The Truth We Never Told. The rest of the story only deepens the question at the center of every book: once something has a grip on you—or on someone you love—how do you fight your way free?
THE BOOKS
NEWS
REVIEWS
“A riveting read from start to finish.”
— Midwest Book Review
“A compelling and gripping novel, with an important message.”
— Readers’ Choice Book Awards, 4x Gold Winner
“The story unfolds like a premium teen drama TV show featuring parallel compelling storylines, spellbinding cliffhangers, and everything about high school, college, and teenage life.”
— Readers’ Favorite, Gold Medalist Young Adult: Coming of Age
“I’ve always looked for ways to affect young adults with a positive message in my work and so the opportunity to take the world Stacy created, a world showing how good kids can easily fall into life threatening drug addiction and eventually put the pieces of their lives back together, was an opportunity and challenge I was excited to bring to the small screen.”
— Mark Blutman, Emmy award-winning producer
“I recommend this book to teens and young adults because there are so many of us who may be lost and struggling, and we’re looking for hope, but in the wrong places.”
— TreVeyon Henderson, running back for the New England Patriots
“Invigorating, engaging and a must read. The characters in the Gripped Series diligently tackle the essence of forces that can limit greatness within.”
— LaTonya Pinkard from the Netflix Original Series ‘Last Chance U’
“A must-read for young adults, parents, and educators alike, offering both a cautionary tale and a message of hope. Stacy Padula continues to deliver a series that is as impactful as it is engrossing.”
— Angelina Tzeng, Student Body President of Braintree High School
“What truly sets Gripped apart is its ability to educate without preaching. Unlike many other reads, Padula does not soften the realities of addiction, peer pressure, or mental health challenges, and instead presents them as they often appear in real life—messy, painful, and deeply impactful.“
— Ava Khouri, Senior Class President of Hanover High School
“The characters grow richer with each passing novel, as the depth of relationships between them approaches reality.”
— Mackenzie Wells, University of Georgia
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